WEEK 1: Seahawks @ Packers

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What a juicy matchup to help kick off the NFL's opening week. The two best teams in the NFC, Green Bay and Seattle — sorry Atlanta, but that Super Bowl meltdown remains too fresh — face off at Lambeau Field.

Unlike the AFC, where New England appears a hefty favorite, the NFC seems wide open. While clarity for a season that lasts 17 weeks isn't going to come in Week 1 — sometimes it doesn't come until December — it's fair to label the Packers and Seahawks as prime contenders.

Seattle's defense could be the league's best. Aaron Rodgers has plenty of targets on offense. Yep, a classic matchup in Week 1.

"This will fit together real well," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says of his defense. "We should be good up front against the running game, which is always crucial to us. Then we will see how well we can build up our pass rush. I like the mix that we have."

That D will mix it up with what will be a well-balanced offense if Ty Montgomery fully makes the adjustment from receiver to starting running back.

Could this be a preview of a January NFC game?

"Well, every game could be looked at in that way, but yeah I think our two teams know," Rodgers says. "When you start the season, training camp, I'm sure 32 teams are talking about winning the Super Bowl.

"It's not really the case, so there's not that many teams that have those squads that could do it. Us and Seattle are usually in the mix. They have been and we have been for a long time. You know it's going to be two teams that expect to be there in the end."